There are many medical conditions individuals are afflicted with these days. Some are more common illnesses whereas others may not be as prevalent as the usual ones. One such medical condition which falls somewhere in between the two rates of occurrence is temperomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ. It is important to highlight some of the general information regarding TMJ such as its true definition, symptoms associated with the disorder and possible remedies for curing an ailment of this type.
Definition of TMJ and Symptoms Associated with TMJ
TMJ can be defined as the inability of the muscles and joints in the jaw to work together accordingly to enable an individual to perform normal and necessary tasks such as chewing food. There are a number of often-cited symptoms which go along with TMJ. These may include headaches, neck pain, craniofacial pain, facial spasms, earaches, clicking of the jaw, grinding of the jaw and mental stress caused by the constant pain which the individual with TMJ experiences on a daily basis. The severity and rate of occurrence of these aches and pains will differ amongst various individuals and may be signs of other medical conditions besides TMJ.
Causes of TMJ
In order to properly treat TMJ, it is first beneficial to know about some of the related causes that go along with a medical condition of this type. Certain causes of TMJ may include teeth clenching habits, teeth grinding habits, malocclusion, trauma to the face and jaw regions and arthritis, just to name a few of the more common ones. Some individuals have experienced only one type of cause or may have fallen prey to more than one of the previously mentioned causes of TMJ. By pinpointing the cause of TMJ in a particular individual, the medical health professional may be that much more likely to prescribe a beneficial treatment to help rid the patient of their TMJ.
Ways to Diagnose TMJ
Individuals who experience some of the symptoms mentioned above may wish to go to their medical health professional to have a concrete diagnose given. As the previously mentioned symptoms can often be related to other illnesses and medical conditions as well, it is important for the individual to have their particular medical issues looked into by a doctor. Once the person experiencing the symptoms has had a consultation with the doctor, the medical professional will then perform certain tests to ascertain if the symptoms are related to TMJ.
The first thing the doctor will do once he sees a patient with symptoms such as these in a consultation is to inquire about each and every symptom and see if they are in correlation with a diagnosis of TMJ. Next the doctor will look at the range of motion of the jaw to see how that fairs. Once both of these things have been completed, the doctor may prescribe radiology imaging of the joint to see what lies beneath. The patient will have to submit to tomography of both the open and closed position of the jaw. The doctor may also pair the tomography with an MRI in order to reach a definitive conclusion with regard to a concrete diagnosis.
Treatment of TMJ
There are a few different treatment methods with regard to treating TMJ. These methods combine both medical and dental resolutions. The patient may be given anti-inflammatory medications for their TMJ. Along with the medications, the patient may be advised to apply hot compresses to the location of the TMJ and told to remain on a soft-food diet for a certain period of time.
Once the medications and compresses have done their duties, the next step is to visit a dental professional to have the jaw-related issues resolved. At the dental professional's office, the patient may have to have permanent dental corrections performed in order to ensure that the TMJ does not come back again. There are a few different dental treatments for TMJ which include orthodontics work, construction of a removable prosthesis or dental reconstruction. The treatment method which is applied will depend on the diagnosed cause of the TMJ.
Self-Treatment to Alleviate Symptoms of TMJ
There are also self-treatment methods which individuals with TMJ can perform in order to help alleviate their symptoms. Some of these include avoiding hard foods and gum, chewing evenly, preventing oneself from grinding or gritting their teeth, taking aspirin and applying a heating pad to the trouble spot.
Conclusion
TMJ is a medical condition which is not pleasant for individuals who are stricken with a disorder of this type. It is important that an individual who experiences symptoms of TMJ have it properly diagnosed by a health professional and follow medical advice with regard to curing themselves of this irritating problem. Although TMJ can be extremely uncomfortable it is something which can be resolved easier than one may think.
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